Princess Royal votes against IOC package

The Princess Royal has branded the International Olympic Committee's tough new reform package, announced in Lausanne today, as "unworkable".

The Princess Royal has branded the International Olympic Committee's tough new reform package, announced in Lausanne today, as "unworkable".

Princess Anne, Britain's representative within the 100-strong IOC general assembly, revealed she was one of only 10 who voted against a plan to curb members visiting cities which are bidding to stage Olympic Games.

"I think that it's pretty well unenforceable, what they're suggesting, depending where the bid cities are," she said.

"I mean, if Paris is a bid city, are you suggesting that I don't go to a rugby match in case the stadium is part of the bid?

"This is difficult, and I think those who wanted to go, could have gone on a control basis," she told Sky News.

The IOC vote was the latest step in the movement's determination to restore their tarnished reputation after the summer's Salt Lake City gifts-for-votes scandal which led to six members being expelled and four others resignation.

Fears that members would revolt over being stripped of their right to visit bidding cities failed to materialise. Intense pressure had been put on them by the IOC leadership in the days before the meeting and veteran IOC member Marc Hodler - who blew the whistle on the corruption within the movement exactly one year ago - said: "I am very happy with all the reforms taken here this weekend. I was not that optimistic at the beginning."

But Princess Anne added: "This is what the media has asked for, and this is what you've got. If you think it's going to work, fine, but I suspect you're going to think otherwise when it happens."